The first third-party device has been approved for connection to the Verizon network under the Open Development Initiative, and it's a very exciting electronic dip stick.
Verizon announced last November that it would be approving third-party devices for connection to their network, offering an alternative to buying handsets from …

Electronic Dip Stick

Electronic Level Measurement (Been done long ago)

I have spent 20 years in the measurement instrumentation business and this "new" application for sending text messages or email indicating that a customers tank was low and needed the vendor to come fill it (via GSM cellular phone technology) has been done LONG AGO.

Technically, this is called "Vendor managed inventory" and several companies have been making a business of it for around a decade.

In fact, these raw material manufacturers remotely measure many parameters in their customers facilities, track inventory, schedule truck shipments and deliveries, etc. All this measurement and reporting is done over the internet.

Always nice to see someone tout that they have "reinvented" the wheel again!

@ Dan Paul

@Dan Paul

The point being made is that the cellular market in the US is so far behind Europe that applications such as this are rare.

Indeed, anything that looks more modern than the handsets that they have had to put up with is lapped up (how else do you explain the overpriced iPod with a phone launch hysteria, err wait, they've been joined by saddoes over here too)

Next up, a device that can be connected to your home electric supply that you can ring/text to switch your lights/heating on or off

Absolutely Fabulous

I bow to the superior knowledge of those who point out that this has been done before and that it is small beer, however there is something that is truly wonderful about this device: it's a new mobile gizmo that the Web two-point-oh-pians won't want to or be able to hype because it's a competent bit of engineering that fulfils a useful if mundane role. Twitter that! :p~